BELARUS

Official name: Republic of Belarus
Capital Minsk
Population 10,335,382 (July 2002 est.)
Languages Belarusian, Russian, other
Time Zone: GMT+2hrs in winter and GMT+3 in summer

Independence 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Currency Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Temp Summer Temp: 17º C / 24º C
Winter Temp: -4º C /8º C
Ethnic groups Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4%
Religions Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Location Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Area
total: 207,600 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 207,600 sq km
Land boundaries
total: 2,900 km
border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
Coastline 0 km (landlocked)
Climate cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Terrain generally flat and contains much marshland
Elevation extremes
lowest: Nyoman River 90 m
highest: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Natural resources forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration.

Culture

Religious History
Paganism
Before 990 A.D. Belarusians - a mix of several Eastern Slavic tribes (mostly Kryvichi and their branches) and several Baltic tribes (Yatviangians, Litts, Latts) - were pagans in their beliefs. As the Slavs have arrived from South to the lands of today's Belarus they have encountered and absorbed the cultures and beliefs of Baltic and other peoples inhabiting the land. There was already a rich Pagan heritage which reveals today through ancient names. Neman (Nioman, Niamunas) - one of the main rivers of the area is bearing the name of Celtic Goddess of War - Neman. Kupala - an ancient Goddess of Water. One of the mysterious peoples completely assimilated by us was Yatviangians. Ancient Belarusians believed in God of Sun - Yaryla, celebrated seasons of nature very much similar to druidic calendar. The cycles of folk songs that were sang at these celebrations still exist. The main pagan festivities are:
Spring Greeting - a plentitude of spring greeting songs -"Vesnavyya pesni" exists, including "Yur'ya". Yur'ia is related to calling Yaryla (Yur'ya), the Sun-God, to bring out the keys and open mothers Nature womb - to let out the grass, and flowers, and animals

Kupalle (Solstice, June 21) is the most loved and cherished pagan holiday in contemporary Belarus. It is a hedonistic summer celebration of fertility in the name of a female God - Kupala. It seems like she is considered a lunar Goddess by some pagan sources, although direct translation of the name is "She Who Bathes". Lately it was renamed into a Christian celebration of a male saint - Ivan Kupala. Kupalle usually involves youth going into the forests and the meadows, wearing flower and grass garlands, dancing in karagods (circles around fires), jumping through fires, competing in strength and a lot's of eroticism.
Dzyady(October 31) - I believe is celebrated twice a year in April and in late October - it's a celebration of dead, bringing bread and drinks to their groves etc. Unlike Halloween it's a light holiday of commemoration of dead. It does not involve any satanic stuff.
Kaliady (a week before Christmas) - pre-Christian celebration of the end of year. Later it was very nicely adopted for Christmas celebration by Orthodox and Catholic churches. Still they have a problem to explain the meaning of spruce (evergreen - eternal life returning) and people dressed as animals and fantastic beasts carrying the sun and the goat's head in their hands

Eastern Orthodox Christianity

Around 990 A.D. the Orthodox Christianity came from Greece to this land. It has absorbed lots of formerly pagan traditions and used them for it's own purpose. In the first few centuries Kiev, Polacak and Novgorod were competing in their claims to unite eastern Slavs in religious belief. Belarusians have developed their own approach to Orthodoxy with more interest in human side of the life. To those unfamiliar with Orthodox religion it we can say that it is generally more tolerant to other religions than Roman Catholic religion. The priests (except high priests) are required to marry. Although depiction of saints is allowed it is thoroughly restricted to certain canonical types. Belarus has developed it's own Belarusian school of icon with several renowned masterpieces. The Orthodox churches are usually very decorated inside. The service involves lots of sacral magic, which is considered almost equally important Christ heritage as Bible. The idea of spiritual unity of all Orthodox believers mirrored in the compassion and cooperation in everyday life is one of the most cherished. Nowadays (as it was always) Orthodox Christianity is a leading religion of Belarusians (about 50%). The first church in Belarus independent of Russian Mitropolit BAOC Church was built near Hrodna in 2002. Lukashenka regime authorities have literally bulldozed the church down because it threatened to lure some believers from the KGB infested Russian Orthodox Church, with which Mr. Lukashenka affiliates himself. "The Furor of Slavs" is really into uniting Belarus with Russia - body and soul.
Roman Catholicism
Around XIVc. Catholic orders moved into Belarus (Grand Duchy of Lithuania,GDL, at that time). Nowadays the second biggest religion is the Catholic religion (30%). Franciscans, Bernardins, Jesuits etc. For the next 600 years it was a struggle between the Catholic Church and Orthodox Church for possession of the souls and hearts of Belarusians.

Unia (Greek Catholic) Church
As a compromise solution to unify both Catholic and Orthodox Christians in Belarus Ipaci Pocei - a Belarusian religious figure - has suggested the Union - Unia Church. It has retained most of the rich and glamorous Orthodox rituals and decor but was subdued for Pope in Rome. This church was sought to unify Belarusians against spiritual invasion from Poland and Muscovy. Many Belarusians like Mileci Smatrycki, Leu Sapega, Grand Duke Mikalaj Krystof Radzivil were seeking Unia as the way for Belarus to establish its independent church which at that time meant a lot for sovereignty of the nation. Both Catholic and Orthodox churches have forgotten their real purpose and became inexcusably involved into political games of Poland and Muscovy repulsing Belarusian intellectuals into something else. Today's Orthodox priests have the necessary attribute of signing the dirty political deals between Russia and Belarus. And most of the Catholic Church is still involved in the polonization of Belarus. It has become so ridiculous that you can see monks as members of Belarusian parliament. In XVI c. all this has started Reformation in Belarus. Unia church still exists, mostly in Ukraine and Belarus, but also in US, Australia, Canada and other places, where prosecuted uniats were emigrating.
Reformation
In XV-XVII centuries Belarus (GDL) was undergoing a unique Renaissance époque with the flourishing arts, sciences, crafts, medicine. It had very strong connections with European thought at the time. Our philosophers were having correspondence with Martin Luther and other leading intellectuals on the ethical and humanistic aspects of Reformation. Calvinism was becoming increasingly popular at that time. Most of aristocracy and simple folks were attracted by schools of Calvinist communities and general progressive humanistic mood. The most influential trends of reformation in Belarus included anti-trinitarians, socians and many others. The major figures of Belarusian Renaissance were Dr. Francisk Skaryna, Symon Budny, Vasil' Cyapinski. Later protestant communities were severely suppressed by Catholic Counter-Reformation, and to some extent by Russian Orthodox Church. This gave birth to a multitude of the polemic poetical works, and brought to life Old Belarussian Polemic Poetry
Other
The religious climate in Belarus was pretty tolerant towards non-Christian religions. Islam and Judaism were existing for more than 500 years in the land in small communities without any major problems. Actually the first Belarusian common spoken language texts (they are now in Vil'na University Library) were written phonetically using Arabian letters by the mullah's - Muslim priests.
Nowadays the religious life in Belarus is very active after 70 years of atheism in USSR. Many young people are finding their spiritual path in Orthodoxy, Catholic and Protestant belief. There many churches restored and new are built. Judaism and Islam still have their roots in Belarus. Some people venture into Krishnaism, Buddhism, Neo-Paganism. Significant parts of population are simply atheists. Atheism has a long tradition in Belarus. Some young people are attracted to religion by curiosity or fashion. But nevertheless Belarus is now experiencing a clear religious growth.
Today
The 2002 controversy is a harsh pro-Russian Orthodox Christian law "On freedom of conscience and religious organizations" that was suggested by Lukashenka Regime. The law would significantly diminish rights of other religions and perishes. The scandalous religion law didn't pass upper chamber of Belarusian Parliament.

Dress

Traditional Belarusian dress originated from the time of Kievan Rus, and continues to be worn today at special functions. Due to the cool climate of Belarus, the clothes were made out fabrics that provide closed covering and warmth. The outfits were designed with either many threads of different colors woven together or are adorned with symbols called ornaments. The Belarusian nobles usually had their fabrics imported and chose the colors of red, blue or green. Males wore a shirt and trousers adorned with a belt and the females wore a longer shirt, a wrap-around skirt called a "paniova", and a headscarf. The outfits also were also influenced by the dress worn by Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians and other European nations and have changed over time due to improvements in the techniques used to make clothing

World Heritage Sites

Russian Orthodox church in Brest, Belarus
Belarus has four World Heritage Sites, with two of them being shared between Belarus and its neighboring countries. The four are: the Mir Castle Complex; the Niasvizh Castle; the Belovezhskaya Pushcha (shared with Poland); and the Struve Geodetic Arc (shared with Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Moldova, Russia, Sweden and Ukraine).
Food
The typical diet for the Belarusian includes bread, potatoes, cabbage and pork. The Belarusians also tend to eat small portions of food in the morning while they have very hearty meals for lunch and dinner. Some of the most widely served dishes in Belarus include "kotleta po krestyansky", a mix of chopped pork served in a mushroom sauce; a soup by the name of "shtchi" which includes sauerkraut, potatoes and fried onions; and "kalachi", a loaf of bread that has been formed into the shape of a padlock. When guests enter into Belarus from a foreign country, they are usually served rye bread with a pinch of salt on the side and it is presented to them on a traditional cloth, called a "rushnik".

Theater
Belarusian theater also began gain popularity in the early 1900s. One of Belarus's most famous plays, Paulinka (written by Yanka Koupala), was performed in Siberia for the Belarussians who were being be sent to the region. Documentation of Belarusian folk music stretches back to at least the 15th century. Prior to that, skomorokhs were the major profession for musicians. A neumatic chant, called znamenny, from the word 'znamia', meaning sign or neume, was used until 16th century in Orthodox church music, followed by two hundreds of stylistic innovation that drew on the Renaissance and Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century, Partesnoe penie, part singing, became common for choruses, followed by private theaters established in cities like Minsk and Vitebsk. Popular music groups that came from Belarus include Pesniary, Dreamlin and NRM. Currently, there are 27 professional theater groups touring in Belarus, 70 orchestras, and 15 agencies that focus on promoting concerts.

Russian impact
After the Partitions of Poland, the Imperial Russia had a policy of de-polonisation of the Ruthenian people. However even after many cases when the Belarusian peoples were subjected to what some call Russification, it was clear that this created a destinct ethnicity and a destinct culture that was neither Polish and Russian. In 1897 census most of the population reffered to their language as Belarusian rather than Ruthenian (and wrongly interpreted as Russian by Tsarist authorities), as they did during Polish rule.
It was the 20 th century that fully allowed Belarus to show its best destinct talent to the world. Poets such as Yanka Kupala, Vasyl Bykau and many others showed the beauty of Belarusian language. Also helped was the korenizatsiya policy of the Soviet Union which encouraged local level nationalism. The Belarusian language was numerously reformed to fully represent the phonetics of a modern speaker. However some contemprory nationalists find that the Russian influence has taken its toll too much. At present the Russian language is still being used in official business and in other sections of Belarusian society. Although President Lukashenko has introduced laws that force radio and television stations to show case a percentage of Belarusian talent daily in an attmpt to counterbalance the trend.

Festivals
The Belarusian government sponsors many annual cultural festivals: Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk; "Minsk Spring"; "Slavonic Theatrical Meetings"; International Jazz Festival; National Harvesting Festival; "Arts for Children and Youth"; Competition of Youth Variety Show Arts; "Muses of Niesvizh"; "Mir Castle"; and the National Festival of the Belarusian Song and Poetry. These events showcase talented Belarusian performers, whether it is in music, art, poetry, dance or theater. At these festivals, various prizes named after Soviet and Belarusian heroes are awarded for excellence in music or art. Several state holidays, like Independence Day or Victory Day draw big crowds and include various displays such as fireworks and military parades. Most of the festivals take place in Vitebsk or Minsk.

Sport
From the 1952 Helsinki Games until the end of the Soviet era, Belarus competed in the Olympic Games as part of the Soviet Olympic squad. During the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Belarus competed as part of the Unified Team. The nation's athletes competed in an Olympic Games as Belarusians for the first time during the 1994 Lillehammer Games. Belarus has won a total of 52 medals; 6 gold, 17 silver and 29 bronze. The first Olympic medal for the Soviet Union was won by Belarusian Mikhail Krivonosov at the 1956 Summer Games held in Melbourne, Australia Belarus's National Olympic Committee has been headed by President Lukashenko since 1997; he is the only head of state in the world to hold this position.
Receiving heavy sponsorship from the President, himself, ice hockey is the nation's most popular sport. Team Belarus finished a surprising fourth in overall competition at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Belarusian players have become commonplace in the NHL and international competitions.

Getting there
Most international flights arrive at the Minsk-2 International Airport, 40km (25mi) east of Minsk. It has connections to Berlin, Beirut, Frankfurt, Larnaka, Moscow, Munich, St Petersburg, Tallinn, Tel Aviv, Vienna, Warsaw and Zurich. The smaller Minsk-1 Airport, 3 km (2mi) south of the city, serves Kiev, Moscow and St Petersburg. The country's other international airport is at Brest, where you can get flights to Moscow, St Petersburg, Kiev, Warsaw and Odessa.

The most popular international bus routes are between Minsk and Vilnius (Lithuania) and Minsk and Bialystok (Poland). Trains come into Belarus from Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Ukraine via 10 border crossings, and there are also about 10 border crossings open to private vehicles.

HISTORY
The Belarussians are the descendants of Slavic tribes that migrated into the region in the 9th century. They trace their distinct identity from the 13th century when the Mongols conquered Russia and parts of Ukraine. During this period, Belarus managed to maintain its identity as part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The merger of the Grand Duchy with Poland in 1569 put the territory of Belarus under Polish rule. After the division of Poland in the late 18th century, Belarus fell to the Russian Empire.
In March 1918, at the time of the Soviet-German Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in which Moscow agreed to relinquish claim to a substantial amount of territory Germany had captured in exchange for peace, the Belarussian National Republic was formed with German military assistance. However, after the German government collapsed in November 1918 and German forces were withdrawn from the region, Bolshevik troops moved in and set up the Belarussian Soviet Socialist Republic in January 1919. In 1922 the Belarus SSR became one of 15 socialist republics to form the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Two years later, Belarus's borders were enlarged at the expense of Russia and Ukraine. Later, parts of eastern Poland were annexed to Belarus by Stalin under the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. However, Belarus was devastated by World War II.
During the decades of Soviet rule, Belarus underwent intense russification, and its leaders generally complied with Soviet policy. However, after extensive nuclear contamination by the 1986 Chernobyl accident in neighbouring Ukraine, Belarussian nationalists, acting from exile in Lithuania, organized the Belarussian People's Front. The nationalist upsurge of the period was intensified by the discovery of mass graves from the Stalinist purges of the 1930s at Kuroplaty and other locations. Although the Belarussian leadership still supported keeping the Soviet Union intact, Belarus's parliament declared Belarus a sovereign state within the USSR in July 1990. Shortly after the abortive August 1991 coup attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev, Belarus declared its independence on 26 August 1991.
Belarus's first president, Alyaksandr Lukashenko, was elected in July 1994, the same year the country adopted its first post-Communist constitution. Lukashenko has halted economic and political reform, and he has silenced and even jailed his critics using internal security forces. At the end of 1996, Belarus sent the last of its nuclear missiles back to Russia. Also in November 1996, Lukashenko won a plebiscite to expand his power as president, although most observers agreed that the election was not fair. On 28 November 1996, Lukashenko signed into law a new constitution containing provisions that gave him almost total control of all branches of government and extended his term by two years to 2001. A new bicameral National Assembly replaced the old Parliament. During 1996, Lukashenko suspended the registration of new enterprises, stopped privatisation, and spurned World Bank assistance. Under the new constitution, he has the right to hire and fire the heads of the Constitutional Court and the Central Bank, and he also has the right to dissolve parliament and veto its decisions. Most members of the international community criticized the plebiscite expanding Lukashenko's power, and do not recognize the 1996 constitution or the bicameral legislature that it established.
The constitutional changes implemented by the president sparked strong protests, including public demonstrations and opposition by the Constitutional Court and members of parliament, some of whom attempted to form their own assembly. However, all dissent was effectively repressed, and Lukashenko remained in power. After boycotting the April 1999 local elections, his political opponents held an alternative presidential election in July. This was followed by a new crackdown that forced opposition leader Semyon Sharetsky into exile. From exile Sharetsky proclaimed himself the nation's legitimate ruler, but his action had little effect of the actual state of political affairs in the country. Another prominent political dissident, Voctor Gonchar, was reported missing in September 1999.
In April 1997, Lukashenko and Russia's President Yeltsin signed an initial charter for economic union that included a plan to adopt a common currency. However, over the following two years, implementation of the integration plan moved slowly, and in September 1999, Belarus took steps to peg the country's currency to the euro. Nevertheless, at the end of year, Belarus and Russia reaffirmed their intentions of forming an economic alliance. The leaders of both countries signed a new treaty in December 1999, and it was approved by both parliaments. In April 2000 Russia's new president, Vladimir Putin, reconfirmed his country's commitment to strengthening ties with Belarus.
Parliamentary elections were held in October 2000, and were criticized by election observers as being neither free nor fair. Lukashenko and his administration manipulated the election process to make sure a minimum of opposition candidates were elected to parliament. Turnout in 13 constituencies was so low that a re-run was necessary (it was held in March 2001). On 9 September 2001, Lukashenko was reelected president in what Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) observers described as undemocratic elections, neither free nor fair. Lukashenko won 75.6% of the vote, with opposition candidate Vladimir Goncharik winning 15.4% and Liberal Democratic Party leader Syargey Gaydukevich winning 2.5%. The government reported 83.9% of eligible voters participated in the election.
In June 2002, Russian President Vladimir Putin refused to follow the path to integration that Belarus had sketched out for the two nations, saying it would lead to the recreation of "something along the lines of the Soviet Union." Lukashenko pledged not to relinquish Belarus's sovereignty in the union with Russia, while Putin in August put forth a proposal for the "ultimate unification" of both countries. Putin envisioned a federation based on the Russian constitution, with the Russian ruble as the state's sole currency and the election of a president in 2004. A constitution for the union was approved in March 2003. In April, the speaker of the Russian Duma indicated Armenia, Ukraine, and Moldova might be probable candidates for joining the Belarus-Russian union. A referendum on the constitution is planned in Russia and Belarus at the end of 2003, and elections for a joint parliament are to take place in 2004.
In November 2002, 14 EU states (minus Portugal) imposed a travel ban on Lukashenko and several of his government ministers as a way of protesting Belarus's poor human rights record. In February 2003, Lukashenko pledged support for Iraq in the prelude to war which began on 19 March, led by a US and UK coalition. Analysts stated such a declaration of support was directed more at the Belarusian public as a way of increasing Lukashenko's image as a strong and independent leader.
Belarus Visa Requirements
Visas are required to enter Belarus. Exceptions are made for the citizens of the CIS, Cuba, Korea (the Democratic People's Republic), Macedonia, Mongolia, Vietnam, Serbia and Montenegro and holders of diplomatic passports from several states.
Belarusian visa is normally issued by a Belarusian embassy or consulate in 5 working days, there is also a possibility to get it urgently (in 48 hours) by paying a double fee.
The fee for Belarusian private or business single visa varies from US$ 40 to $ 80.
Visas for children under 16 are issued free of charge, though a visa processing fee can be levied in this case by certain Belarusian embassies or consulates.
There is no possibility to get a Belarusian entry visa on the border (except for the National airport Minsk-2).
To get a Belarusian business visa a foreigner has to present an original invitation of any Belarusian legal person, which is officially registered in the Republic of Belarus.
To get a visa for private purposes foreigner has to present an invitation issued to a Belarusian resident by his citizenship and migration office. The original invitation should be handed over to an embassy/consulate or Consular office at the National airport in this case; no fax or photocopy is accepted. Multiple private visa is issued upon presentation of the original invitation to foreigners, visiting their close relatives.
Belarusian tourist visas are issued upon presentation of the original of the tourist voucher received from any Belarusian tour operator or tourist agency.

Places to Visit
Minsk is the capital and largest city in Belarus, situated on the Svislach and Niamiha rivers. Minsk is also a headquarters of the Commonwealth of Independent States. As the national capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is also the capital of Minsk voblast (province) and Minsk raion.
The earliest references to Minsk date to the 11th century (1067). In 1242, Minsk became a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and it received its town privileges in 1499. From 1569, it was a capital of the Minsk Voivodship in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was annexed by Russia in 1793, as a consequence of the Second Partition of Poland. From 1919–1991, Minsk was the capital of the Byelorussian SSR.
80 percent of the city was ruined and razed in World War II. It is a city rebuilt in the 1950's to Stalin's tastes. Enormous, soviet-bloc style buildings make up most of the city. This is a city to visit if you are interested in the Soviet Union and would like to see it still alive, save for a few more advertisements and foreign cars. English is not really spoken, and tourisim is not a priority in Belarus or Minsk at all. Certainly an interesting stop after the non-stop tourism of Western and Central Europe.
Get around by using bus, tram, or subway. All three are cheap and reliable. The subway is noted for being clean and safe. Additionally, each subway station is decorated uniquely. For instance, the station at Oktober Square is decorated in the theme of the Communist Revolution. The station at Victory square is decorated in a victory theme, and the Lenin Station includes a bust of Lenin and a host of Hammer/Sickle reliefs.
Local goods are usually bad quality, but there are several things that are worth buying. Some wool and linen clothes - you can get very good stuff for little money. Womens underwear "Milavitsa", is widely known across former USSR. This good quality, and cheap as well. Various types of cosmetics - firstly brand-name, are called "O2". Vodka produced by Brest spirit factory, is probably the best in the world. This easily outperforms Stoly, Absolut and Smirnoff. Generally, the Minsk Airport has a very reliable duty free shop with rich choice of fragrances, spirits and souvenirs. There is no sense to get international brands- usually it costs 20-50% more than European average.
Actually, Byelorussians are good with their national cuisine, which is similar to other eastern-european ones. Generally it features heavy-fat potato dishes, mushrooms, soups and baked meat. The quality of conventional european food (italian, french etc.) not amazing, but acceptable. Despite that average level of cafes and restaurants is low, several great places exists at the center of the city. Some of them are: "Beze" - Vienna-style cafe with great bakery and light snacks, located on main avenue; "Gourman" - styled as italian trattoria, serves national and european dishes. Excellent quality and affordable prices, near Grand Opera Theater; "Pechki-Lavochki" - national cuisine, main ave; "Freskee cafe" - cafe with a reach choice of main dishes, at Nezalejnosti(Independent) square. Average dinner cost at those places - about 10-20 $ per a person. 10% tip is more than enough. Also there are some good restaurants outside the city, near tourist locations. The cafes and restaurants at the hotels usually have acceptable level of quality. On the other hand avoid local fast-food, Sushi (very expensive and far from original), beef and lamb grills (local cooks have very little experience with it and prefer pork), sea fruits (same reason).

Brest
City in South-Western Belarus, capital of Brest Voblasc', at the confluence of the Bug and Mukhavyets rivers. A major rail junction and trade center, the city has industries manufacturing food products, textiles, and metal goods. Founded in the early 11th century, Brest became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1319, and in 1569 it became the capital of the Commonwealth state of Poland and Lithuania - Rzhech Pospolita. It has become part of Russian Empire in 1795. The WWI Peace Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed here in 1918 between the new Soviet government and the Central Powers. In 1921 the city became part of Poland, and in 1939 returned to Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (part of the USSR). From 1941-1944, during World War II, Germany occupied Brest; from 1944 to 1991 the city was part of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) and it is now in Belarus.

The Mir castle
The Mir castle is known to every Belarusian. It is an outstanding sample of fortification art of the 16th century. The castle was encircled with earthworks and bastions. The castle walls are 13 meters high and 75 meters long. The castle has the form of a wry rectangle close to a square. The four towers form the castle’s corners. The fifth tower with an entrance arch is situated in the middle of the western wall. The castle is included into the list of the UNESCO monuments.

Brest Fortress
Today the Brest Fortress is the major tourist sight. The design of the fortress was approved by the Emperor Nicholas I in 1830. It occupied the territory of the Old Town. The citadel and several bastions and fortifications were built : the Kobrin, Volhyn’ and Terespol’ fortifications. The fortress appeared to be a masterpiece of military engineering as well as an outstanding work of art. By the beginning of the 20th century the fortress was the main Russian outpost on the western border. However the present fame was gained by the Brest Fortress during the years of the Great Patriotic war. Its garrison resisted heroically for one month.
The ruins of the Palace of the magnate Sapega

The ruins of the palace of the magnate Sapega (the 16th-18th centuries) make Ruzhany a tourist center. The architect Jan Samuel Bekker designed a palace ensemble composed of two buildings. The front yard occupied the territory of 1.5 hectares. The buildings were decorated by stucco mouldings and fumed oak. The impressive main entrance gate in the form of triumphal arch remained intact till today.

Old Palace near Kossovo
Not far from Ruzhany, near the village Kossovo, there is another interesting palace. It represents the Neo-Gothic architecture, which was popular in the first half of the 19th century

Minsk
The capital of Belarus, situated 340km (213 miles) northeast of Warsaw and 120km (75 miles) southeast of Vilnius, was first mentioned in 1067, but little of the old city now survives except a few 17th-century buildings. The city grew to be an important axis of communication and suffered badly during World War II. Modern Minsk is symmetrically designed with wide embankments flanking the Svisloch River. The cultural scene is very diverse with the Belarusian Ballet and good museums such as the National Museum of Belarusian History and Culture, the National Arts Museum, the Museum of History of the Great Patriotic War and the Museum of Old Belarusian Culture. Other interesting museums deal with the major Belarusian writers, Kolas, Kupala, Bogdanovich and Brovka. Icons form a large part of the National Gallery. Museums generally open Tues-Sun 1000-1900. The suburb of Troitskoye Predmestye should not be missed; it gives an insight into the way Minsk once looked – 19th-century houses with colourful facades line the streets. There are also excellent examples of Baroque architecture, such as the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit (1642), the Cathedral of St Peter and Paul (1613) and the Maryinsky Cathedral, which has been rebuilt to its original shape.

Excursions
Belarus in the 13th century was the nucleus of the great principality of Lithuania and its capital was Novogrudok, featuring a 14th-century castle, Lida, where Adam Mitskevich, the great Belarusian poet, was born. About 22km (14 miles) from the capital is the picturesque village of Raubichi, with an interesting ethnographic museum housed in a disused church. Not far from Raubichi (10km/6 miles) is the idyllic Minsk Lake, dotted with numerous islets and surrounded by dense pines. The Museum of Folk Architecture is situated in Ozerto (15km/ 10 miles southwest of Minsk), and features original pieces of century-old buildings from different regions in Belarus. The Dudutki Museum of Material Culture is to be found 40km/25 miles from the capital city and is the only private museum in Belarus showing traditional crafts and ways of life. The onion-shaped domes of Russian Orthodox churches dominate the landscape throughout the country, but especially around Logoysk (40km/25 miles from Minsk), Krasnoe (60km/38 miles from Minsk) and Molodechno (80km/50 miles from Minsk). The memorial at Khatyn commemorates its destruction by the German army during World War II.

Beyond Minsk
Wide plains, picturesque villages, ancient castles and monasteries, deep forests, scenic landscapes, and thousands of lakes await visitors. Belintourist offers several one- and two-week itineraries with different themes catering for nature-lovers, culture fans and sport enthusiasts.
The village of Zhirovitsa, 190km (119 miles) from Minsk, is renowned for the beautiful 15th-century Monastery of the Assumption. Part of the monastery complex is a convent and a theological seminary (17th-18th century).
120km (75 miles) from Minsk is the small town of Mir where one can see the Jewish Cemetery and the 15th-century Mir Castle (a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site). Nearby, historic Nesvizh still retains its old buildings. The former residence of the Radzivill family is one of the most attractive palaces in the country. It is surrounded by a large park with numerous lakes and elaborate gardens. Only a short walk away is the imposing Catholic Church designed by the 16th-century Italian architect Bernardoni. Vitebsk, situated 270km (169 miles) from Minsk is the birthplace of the painter Marc Chagall. There is a cultural center named after him, and his family house has been turned into a museum.
The center of Christianity during the time of Rus (the first Russian state) lay in the Slavic town of Polotsk. Polotsk is the oldest of the Belarusian cities, founded in 862. An excellent example of architecture of the period is the 11th-century Church of St Sophia. Worth a visit are the two castles nearby. There is also a 12th-century convent, St Ephrosinia of Polotsk, and a 16th- to

17th-century Epiphany Monastery.
Brest is a popular place to visit. One of the highlights is a tour of the Brest Fortress, which was used to repel the German forces during World War II. Inside the Fortress is a museum which chronicles its history back to the 13th century. This history is further illustrated by a fascinating selection of exhibits in the Museum of History and Archaeology. In the surrounding countryside, time appears to have stood still for centuries; 500-year-old trees can be found in the state national park, Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Wild European (Belovezhskaya) bison roam the area - the symbol of Belarus. Here, there are 87.6 hectares of total area to explore and discover the 60 types of animal and 900 types of plants that it contains. For tourists seeking political history, it is here, in the village of Viskouli, that leaders of Belarus, Russia and the Ukraine signed the famous agreement stipulating the final disintegration of the USSR. Brest has a famous puppet theater that is worth seeing and visitors should not miss out on the elegant design of the Belaya Vezha (White Tower), also known as the famous Kamenets Tower, that was built in the 13th century. Pinsk is 300km south of Minsk and is the second-largest city in the Brest region. It has an abundance of historical, architectural and cultural monuments. The city and its environs are also renowned for both their natural beauty and as the center of the

Belarusian Polesye, a low-lying land of waters and mists.
In Grodno, the fifth-largest city of Belarus, major sites are the Old Town center, the Kalozh-Church and the Old Castle (both from the 11th century). The north and northwest, near the borders of Lithuania and Latvia, are dominated by the Braslav Lake District. It is a good area for water-sports, with a total of 30 lakes situated in an atmospheric forest. Accommodation in the area is usually in small dachas along the lakeshore. Belavezha Wood is one of the last sites where rare animals such as bisons, bears and wolves can still be seen living in their natural habitat. Long scenic hiking trails are scattered throughout the Nature Reserve of Berezinsky, stretching from the source of the Berezina to Palik Lake. Primeval forests, marshland, deep rivers and a rich fauna and flora dominate this unique region, hence its UNESCO listing as a protected biosphere. This reserve historically provided a great trade route known as the way 'from the Varangians to the Greeks', connecting the Baltic and the Black Sea countries.